One of the mortar tubes exploded, which in turn knocked one of the mortar batteries on its side, causing mortars to be shot out on a horizontal angle towards the crowd who were across the street at a "safe distance."

thisdaydreamer:Seriously, best of luck to everyone involved. Fireworks are scary, even in the right hands.

I agree. That stuff can be very dangerous even when the person handling them is fully qualified to do so. But shiat happens and the bystanders should know that stuff that goes boom far away from them could also go boom really close to them. There is no assumption of safety when watching pyrotechnics that I know of.

Xexi:One of the mortar tubes exploded, which in turn knocked one of the mortar batteries on its side, causing mortars to be shot out on a horizontal angle towards the crowd who were across the street at a "safe distance."

Radioactive Ass:thisdaydreamer: Seriously, best of luck to everyone involved. Fireworks are scary, even in the right hands.

I agree. That stuff can be very dangerous even when the person handling them is fully qualified to do so. But shiat happens and the bystanders should know that stuff that goes boom far away from them could also go boom really close to them. There is no assumption of safety when watching pyrotechnics that I know of.

At the hospital i work at, we always know what holiday it is by the kinds of injuries we see:

CSS:Uncle used to work for a fireworks company, and when I was 17 I was allowed to sit on the 1st base line while the mortars went off from the 3rd base and outfield. The rest of the crowd was a football field away. We had three batteries explode lit by hand, but fortunately no injuries. A shell landed about 3 feet away from where I was sitting.

/there really isn't a safe distance when it come to fireworks. It's a (precariously) controlled explosion.

Xexi:One of the mortar tubes exploded, which in turn knocked one of the mortar batteries on its side, causing mortars to be shot out on a horizontal angle towards the crowd who were across the street at a "safe distance."

/witnessed the chaos first hand

This happened tonight on the south side Winnemac Park in Chicago. We were about...150 feet away and a tube fell over and starting shooting into a crowd. One brave guy ran out and stood it upright just before the money shot.

That was seriously the craziest and most terrifying (but kind of awesome) fireworks show I've ever seen. Think of a giant fireworks show, then imagine 6 of them in a big circle less than a half mile in diameter and hundreds/thousands of people in the middle. Also, they're all being lit by amateurs. We saw several explode on the ground, near people (and us), and no one seemed to be bothered. I was covered in firework ash (basically little bits of cardboard) by the end of it.

Apparently it's an annual thing, and there were plenty of emergency personnel around so I guess it's OK? I'd never been before so *shrug*

There are probably more hurt who self evacuated and took themselves to the hospital or home for treatment. But it appeared quite chaotic for awhile on the TV reports and the videos taken on scene shows it could have turned out much worse. Chances are they are going to move people further back next year after they find out what went wrong.

WHO CARES28 people were hurt by unleashing lethal forces they couldn't predict? Come one, we've got hundreds of millions, who cares about a measly 28 people somewhere? These... people.. are barely human. A speck in the microscope. We should set these things off more often, hell, we should give teachers fireworks to help kids figure out class has started.

sobriquet by any other name:WHO CARES28 people were hurt by unleashing lethal forces they couldn't predict? Come one, we've got hundreds of millions, who cares about a measly 28 people somewhere? These... people.. are barely human. A speck in the microscope. We should set these things off more often, hell, we should give teachers fireworks to help kids figure out class has started.

/this is now a gun thread

Their family, friends & loved ones care & that's what matters most. And no, this is not a gun thread.

stainedglassdoll:Xexi: One of the mortar tubes exploded, which in turn knocked one of the mortar batteries on its side, causing mortars to be shot out on a horizontal angle towards the crowd who were across the street at a "safe distance."

/witnessed the chaos first hand

This happened tonight on the south side Winnemac Park in Chicago. We were about...150 feet away and a tube fell over and starting shooting into a crowd. One brave guy ran out and stood it upright just before the money shot.

That was seriously the craziest and most terrifying (but kind of awesome) fireworks show I've ever seen. Think of a giant fireworks show, then imagine 6 of them in a big circle less than a half mile in diameter and hundreds/thousands of people in the middle. Also, they're all being lit by amateurs. We saw several explode on the ground, near people (and us), and no one seemed to be bothered. I was covered in firework ash (basically little bits of cardboard) by the end of it.

Apparently it's an annual thing, and there were plenty of emergency personnel around so I guess it's OK? I'd never been before so *shrug*

yeah... there were kids on my street two doors down shooting off stuff they probably shouldn't have had but thanks to new state laws they got.

I hung out outside damn near the entire time to make sure none of the (admittingly) really pretty sparkles hit my car.

Xexi:One of the mortar tubes exploded, which in turn knocked one of the mortar batteries on its side, causing mortars to be shot out on a horizontal angle towards the crowd who were across the street at a "safe distance."

/witnessed the chaos first hand

I was just going to speculate exactly that. I hope nobody was too badly injured.

Funny thing is, I was joking earlier this evening that half a mile away isn't nearly close enough to watch a fireworks display. "If you're out of range of the mortars, you're too far away!"

Bathia_Mapes:sobriquet by any other name: WHO CARES28 people were hurt by unleashing lethal forces they couldn't predict? Come one, we've got hundreds of millions, who cares about a measly 28 people somewhere? These... people.. are barely human. A speck in the microscope. We should set these things off more often, hell, we should give teachers fireworks to help kids figure out class has started.

/this is now a gun thread

Their family, friends & loved ones care & that's what matters most. And no, this is not a gun thread.

Not being really close to the fireworks isn't the worst. If they're doing it right, the show will be up high enough you can see them from a ways out. And then when the shiat starts to fly you are out of range.

Xexi:One of the mortar tubes exploded, which in turn knocked one of the mortar batteries on its side, causing mortars to be shot out on a horizontal angle towards the crowd who were across the street at a "safe distance."

/witnessed the chaos first hand

Happened a few years back in Charles City, Iowa. Stands were just down the street from the launch zone, so the projectiles skipped on down the pavement to the crowd.

MadAzza:Revek: thisdaydreamer: In other news, you drunken idiot of a neighbor is still annoyed at the local fireworks restrictions.

Seriously, best of luck to everyone involved. Fireworks are scary, even in the right hands.

Are you a little biatch.... YES you are!!!

Why the fark is everyone (OK, just a couple of idiots) jumping on that guy? And how do you macho, fearless he-men type with only six or seven fingers?

Insecure, irresponsible people tend to compensate for their own failings by attacking those that don't share their values. Fireworks are lovely to watch, but combining alcohol and untrained jackasses working with them makes the Fourth one of the most dangerous holidays there is. It is for the fire rescue and ambulance business what Halloween is for Police: a nightmare.

Here's hoping everyone is able to heal up quickly with no lasting injuries just for attending a festival.